daddy Z

I am tired of how easy it is to dent these aluminium hoods and want to get a carbon fiber replacement. The only one I found is out of japan and cost over $1,000.00 !! It will take at least 2 months to import it in.

I did some research and found we can get our own done for less then $500. A company in Arlington, Texas
completeaerokits.com
can have them made at their plant in China but we have to purchase 10 and provide them with a hood to make the mold. It will take no more then 3 months to get the first 10 back. I would like to find 10 people willing to go in with me on this. It will require you to put up $400 for that length of time but you will save at least $400. Complete will be selling them for $800 each once production is in full force.

Anyone interested in going in with me either post here or email me jandrcko@ticnet.com for more info

ares

iTrader: (2)

few things, first off, Im pretty sure a company already has a carbon fiber hood out for under 800$, and if not, MANY companies are coming out with them, some are even vented and whatnot.

number 2, aluminum hoods are approximately 1 lb heavier, and on top of that 800, add 100 atleast for paint, unless you dont ming having a multicolor car, or you have SB(which still it wont be the same) your looking at near 1000$ to save 1lb and have a hood that wont dent... personally my hood is not dented yet, hopefully never will be.

if I were you, Id wait a month or 2 when companies make their own production, and sell it for way less, without a 2 month wait. (who wants a hoodless car for 2 months by the way?)

daddy Z

I am providing the hood.

I am not doing it for weight savings, but for looks and durability.

If anyone know of a US dealer that has them in stock for less then $800 let me know. I am very much interested in a quality product. I know the people at Complete and they produce the best cabon fiber I have seen.

I had a 2002 RSX type S and went to a carbon fiber hood shortly after I purchased it. The original paint hood looked bad after only driving it on the street a short time. The carbon fiber took everything the street had to throw at it and still looked great. The car got many compliments just due to the carbon fiber hood. Many people thought it was the stock hood since it looked beautiful and fitted so well. The car was firepepper red and the unpainted black carbon fiber went perfect.

Bottom line is I think I can build a better mouse trap for less money and don't mind waiting a few months for it. If I have to, I will purchase the whole first lot of 10 and then sell them for what ever the going rate at the time is. Based on the availability and cost of the RSX hoods I can tell you $400 is a steal. I know complete will be selling them for closer to $800 and getting it.

I really am only looking for comments from those interested in going in with me or those who know where to get a good quality hood for a decent price. Those people who say they heard or think they know a hood is out there for a better price don't do me or anyone interested in getting a hood a bit of good.

Once again thanks for all your comments .... this is an open forum

Vlad

I'm thinking about getting vented cf hood. Price you saying sounds good, but to be honest, I don't like risk. I prefer to wait half a year, see what out there, see pictures of real product and then make my desicion. I don't see any advantages of being first on the street with cf.

Now, have you ever thoght about cf rear hatch? I'm not sure if it's possible, and that's a big question. If it is possible, it could save us tonns of weight along with good look

React3

Try http://www.fiberimages.com It's a very respected company for carbonfiber products. They will do custom carbonfiber works hoods, doors, trunks everything they also have a few videos on the site on the durablility of thier products ....

ares

iTrader: (2)

thats possible(anythings possible) but most of the weight of the hatch is in the glass, if you look, there isnt actually that much metal on the hatch. youd do better by replacing with plexiglass, but you lose your defrosters, and of curse, its plastic not glass. sort of a drawback.

Vlad

okay, lets make glass smaller. Upper half of it useless anyway. Wiper also must go, I guess...

ares

iTrader: (2)

ahahahahahaha you think outside the box I like that. HAHAHA, but you still gotta replace the window, which would still kill your defroster most likely. and your losing your wiper. just toss in plexiglass, youll drop a bit of weight. and its much less custom work thats just asking to leak(youd have to remake the inside panels too.

Rizzness

iTrader: (2)

Hey Vlad:
That's not a bad idea at all, if the visibility is not compromised. It doesn't look bad either! just my .02
Rizz

daddy Z

Yes they are but so is Completeaerokits. Complete is ready to start the project this month. They are so interested that they have now only asked for 50% up front for the initial run. What does that mean to us. They only want $200 from the first 10 people with the remainder due upon completion. Once again they plan on selling this hood for around $800 once production begins in full. This deal is only for the first 10 people that respond.

In addition I will promise to refund the $200 if the product does not meet your expectations.

Zrated

If you really want to save weight on the rear hatch make it a Pantera style hatch out of CF, and you won't need a rear wiper either.

Vlad

What is Pantera-style?

Zrated

It's the hatch style on the car, DeTamaso Pantera. It is flat across the back and then has a small horizontal window.


http://www.panteracars.com/mikedaileyfinalbg.jpg

http://www.panteracars.com/mont2002a59.jpg

Vlad

I got it now...

Zrated

There it is!.. and you even added some louvers to boot

gfornal

Also check out www.visracing.com. Everyone has to be patient. The companies are working as fast as they can to get a good quality product out for us. A carbonfiber hood should only cost you $500-700 max. I believe i saw fiberimages was starting at $559.00 for the hood. We are all in the same situation i was in with my last car. I had a Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS. It took me 3 yrs to complete, but had a stage 4 turbo kit and did 1/4 mile at 12.8@108. I was also lucky to have some big sponsors.I had everything including a carbonfiber hood from VIS. Theses products didn not come out right away. I also save lots of money by waiting and reading reveiws of what worked and what didn't. I also saved money because prices dropped because the intial demand had slowed down.

my 2 cents..

thanks,
Greg

ares

iTrader: (2)

there goes the trunk, and its a bit too MR2/del sol for me.

daddy Z

OK maybe others will eventually make them .... right now neither fiberimage or visracing has them. As for price I am talking $400 for one not this maybe under $700 or $559. Plus I know that completes hood will be as good or better then both those mentioned.

Come on guys we have a chance to do this for ourselves and save some buck in doing it. Why wait for someone else to do it and pay them for the wait.

I thought this is what this forum was all about helping one another.

I know if someone else was going to do this for me I would jump at the chance of getting in for only $200

ps I appreciate the two that have already decided to join me.

ares

iTrader: (2)

Im a bit confused how is it that the price went from 800 to 400? you edited your origonal post... the guy just decided to half the price of the hood? sorry if I sound a bit skeptical, but this seems a bit off to me.